The Cathedrals of Great Britain: Their History and ArchitectureDitchfield, P. H. (Peter Hampson)
History
The Cathedrals of Great Britain: Their History and Architecture
Ditchfield, P. H. (Peter Hampson)
Cathedrals -- Great Britain; Church architecture -- Great Britain
during the restorations, which commenced in the middle of the last
century, when the church was completely renovated, and all the old
portions which had escaped the action of time, or the barbarous
efforts of the followers of Christopher Wren, restored to their
original state. The work was finished in 1869. Although much of the
church is new, on close inspection we can discover some ancient work
that lacks not interest.
The _West Front_ is very beautiful. The doorway is a fine example of
Early English work. It consists of a round arch, with two sub-arches,
and in the tympanum there is an episcopal figure, probably that of St.
Dubricius. The shafts at the sides of the doorway are Early English.
Above them are lancet windows, and in the gable a figure of our Lord
in glory. The cross above the gable is modern. The front is flanked on
each side by two towers. The north-west tower is Perpendicular, the
work of Jasper Tudor, Earl of Pembroke, uncle of Henry VII.; the
south-west tower is modern.
The _Nave_ consists of five bays, and is of Early English design.
There is no triforium. The clerestory windows are lancets, and a
passage runs in front of them. We notice the graceful foliage on the
pier capitals, of Late Early English design, when the stiff-leaved
foliage was giving way to the more natural foliage of the Decorated
period. The aisles were rebuilt in the Late Decorated period, but two
Norman doorways on the north and south sides were preserved. The choir
is of the same character as the nave, but in the presbytery we see
some of the Norman work of Urban's church, mixed with that of the
Decorated period. Here stood the Italian temple, until happily this
monstrosity was removed. The clerestory was destroyed when the temple
was erected, but in the restoration of Sir Gilbert Scott it was
rebuilt. On the south side we notice the curious blending of the
Norman with the Decorated work. One of the most striking features of
this Cathedral is the Late Norman arch at the east end. It is very
richly ornamented, and has four orders, being adorned with zigzag,
roll, and a curious row of flower-like circles. The reredos is modern,
and has some fine paintings by Rosetti. The sedilia are modern.
The _Lady Chapel_ has a stone vault, the ribs rising from Purbeck
marble shafts. The windows are of good design, having two lights with
a circle in the head. The east window is modern. The chapter-house is
Early English, and is almost unique in having a square plan with a
central pier.
Few of the monuments possess much interest. We notice that of St.
Dubricius; a brass memorial of Bishop Copleston (1849); Bishop William
de Bruce (1287); Bishop St. Teilo; Bishop Bromfield (1393); Bishop
Marshall (1496), a skeleton figure of the _memento mori_ type; Sir
David Matthew, standard-bearer to Edward IV. (1461); Sir William
Matthew; Lady Audley. The old reredos discovered during the
restoration has been placed in the north aisle of the choir.
ST. DAVID'S CATHEDRAL
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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